Blackjack Odds
Both land-based casinos and online blackjack casinos that support live dealer blackjack require dealers to take at least one more card with the dealer has a soft 17 showing. The dealer will continue taking more cards—until the house’s hand either becomes a hard 17 or higher, or the hand goes over 21 and goes bust. Is it better to play blackjack at a full table? You may be wondering how playing at a full table affects your chances of winning blackjack. Well, if you consider that the game of blackjack is a game of odds, then the more people are in a game will definitely affect your odds.
Along with the thrill of the game, what people love about Blackjack is that skill and strategy help boost the odds. It’s a great game for players because there’s a chance to beat the casino’s advantage.
How Blackjack odds work
Odds work differently in Blackjack than in other casino games. That’s because in Blackjack, the outcome for every round is dependent on previous rounds – unlike games such as Roulette, where the odds are the same for each spin.
Blackjack cards are removed after play, so the composition of the deck changes – and so do the odds.
House edge and Blackjack
What is the house edge?
The house edge is the small percentage of all wagers that the casino expects to win. It’s the way the house guarantees its long-term profit on all games, and the edge on each game is different.
The casino builds in certain rules to give itself an advantage.
How the house edge works
The casino gains the edge in blackjack. The way it works is that players are dealt cards before the dealer, and will be the first to lose, regardless if the dealer also busts in the same round.
Blackjack Odds Sheet
How to improve your odds
Blackjack is a game of chance, but a player’s skill and decisions can affect the outcome. A player can stand or hit as they wish, unlike the dealer, who must always stand on 17-21 and hit on 16 or less.
Simply by following the rules of basic strategy – making correct choices to hit, stand, double and split – players could improve their odds and reduce the house edge to about .5% per cent.
Blackjack vs. Other Games
House edge across various games is a useful way to compare the advantages of players vs. the house.
In Blackjack, the house edge can be as low as .5% – one of the lowest of all games at the casino, compared to 5.26% for Roulette. That results in a much more even playing field between players and the house for Blackjack.
Tip
In order to minimize the house edge for Blackjack, players must correctly use the basic strategies of the game.
Tip
It’s good to remember that no matter how well you play, you can’t eliminate the house advantage. Even the best players can lose over time.
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| Hand Value | Probability of Going Bust % |
|---|---|
| 11 | 0% |
| 12 | 31% |
| 13 | 39% |
| 14 | 56% |
| 15 | 58% |
| 16 | 62% |
| 17 | 69% |
| 18 | 77% |
| 19 | 85% |
| 20 | 92% |
| 21 | 100% |
How To Play Blackjack To Win
- Be Aware Of House Edge - Both land-based and online casinos will always have at least a small edge over you, the player. This is simply the nature of the beast and is one of the reasons why you’ll never see a casino going out of business. For example, you’ll have to play first. Therefore, if you go bust, you’ll automatically lose the hand even if the dealer goes bust two seconds after you. Make sure you understand all aspects of the house edge before you start playing.
- Different Variations = Different Rules - Don’t just assume that because you’re playing blackjack all of the rules will be the same as the standard version. If you go in with that mindset it will be a recipe for disaster. There are far too many versions to list here. However, the games you’re most likely to encounter are Blackjack Surrender, Atlantic City Blackjack, Double Exposure Blackjack, and a few others.
- Blackjack Strategies - As with all games, there are several betting systems on the market claiming to give you a better chance of winning. First of all, forget counting cards. Not only is it against house rules but you basically have to be a math genius in order to work out the percentages. However, there are certain legal strategies which can increase your chances - such as basic blackjack strategy. You can also use cheat sheets since the dealer can’t see you.
Blackjack Tips for Beginners
- Increase Your Stakes Slowly - Firstly, start playing with small stakes. If you go in all guns blazing on your very first hand and try to win half a million there’s a good chance you’re going to leave the table with your tail between your legs. Respect the game and try to get an understanding of how it works. Blackjack is a fun game to play, our advice would be to play through a minimum of 50 hands on the lowest stake before you start increasing the size of your bet.
- Understand the Percentages - Obviously, the main aim of this game is to get to 21. Therefore, it’s extremely important that you fully understand the odds. For example, if you’re sitting on 18 and you choose to hit there’s a good chance that you’re going to go bust. However, if you’re sitting on 11 or less you literally can’t lose by taking one more hit. Do your research and don’t play blindly. It’ll pay off in the long term.
- Focus On Yourself - It’s easy to make rash decisions based on what other players are doing. For example, if somebody at the table raises the stakes significantly it might send a shiver down your spine. However, it doesn’t really matter what the players around you are doing. You’re playing against the dealer and nobody else. Always keep this in mind before you make any decisions. This is one of our golden rules in regards to blackjack.
Blackjack Odds Chart
Blackjack Odds Calculator
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Blackjack Odds FAQs
What are the odds of winning blackjack?
There are many factors that will affected your chances of winning a hand of blackjack. Your hand, the dealer's hand - and the rules can all impact the outcome. See our full strategy guide above for more details.
Should I use a blackjack odds chart?
It is certainly a helpful tool to have - and we have a free one you can use above. However, we recommend a blackjack strategy chart that shows you the optimal strategic play for that hand. This will lead you to more fruitful results and reduce the house edge to its minimum.
Is a blackjack odds calculator useful?
In some situations - yes. But once again, a basic strategy chart is more useful as it gives you the best plays possible for what the dealer has.
What is the blackjack games with the best odds?
To find the game with the best odds, we want to look at blackjack games with the best house edge. Single deck games where the dealer stands on soft 17 boast a house edge of just 0.18%. See above for more info on house edge.